As a method for producing a toner, an aggregation method has been known. The aggregation method is performed as follows. An aggregating agent such as a metal salt is used to purposefully break the dispersion state of particles of toner components including a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent in a medium such as water. Thus, the particles are aggregated to obtain aggregate particles. The resulting aggregate particles are then heated and fused to obtain a toner. The heating and fusing processes may be performed simultaneously.
In the aggregation method, for example, nano-scale particles can be aggregated to produce a toner. Therefore, the aggregation method can decrease the particle diameter of the toner and alter the shape of the toner depending on heating conditions for fusion. Accordingly, the aggregation method is suitable as the method for producing a toner.
However, among the toner components, particles of a component having hydrophilicity higher than that of a binder resin and particles of a component having a micro-scale particle diameter are likely to be exposed on the surface of the toner in the conventional aggregation method. As a result, the charge property and storage stability of the toner may deteriorate.
In order to prevent the particles from being exposed on the surface of the toner, an encapsulated toner has been proposed. However, the encapsulated toner cannot achieve sufficient effect of suppressing the particles exposed on the surface.